Weft needle



y 7, 1930. E. F. HATHAWAY ET AL WEFT NEEDLE Filed Nov. 4, 1927 "fir/121111101110;

|NVENTOR B Y QQMW ATTORNEY Patented May 27, 1930 UNITED STATES PATENT orFIcE EDGAR F. HATHAWAY, OF WELLESLEY, AND VALTEB BIXBY, 015 BOSTON, MASSA- CHUSETTS, A$SIGNORS TO SHAWMUT ENGINEERING COMPANY, 013 BOSTON, MASSA- CHUSETTS, A CORPORATION OF MASSACHUSETTS WEIET NEEDLE Application filed November 4, 1927. Serial No. 231,048.

This invention relates to weft needles such as are used 1n Axminster looms and other looms for carrying the weft threads to and.

fro through the yarn shed formed by the shifting of the sets of warp threads and is intended to provide a construction permitting quick substitution of diflerent needle heads or eye members without disassembling or disconnecting the shank end of the needle from its operating mechanism. It also permits the substitution of new yarn guiding heads in case of injury to the one previously in use on the needle shank.

In general, the invention comprises a weft needle embracing a tubular shank to which is secured a head attaching member and a removably attached eye-piece for head con structed and arranged to be detachably secured to the connecting member so as to permit its ready removal and replacement. Another feature of the invention consists in the use of a removable thread eye in the head or eye-piece, which is preferably so arranged as to permit the thread eye to turn or rotate under frictional stress while still retaining its proper operative position in the eye of the eye-piece.

In the accompanying drawings we have illustrated a simple and convenient construc tion embodying the principles of this invention in which Figure 1 is a plan view showing the assembled parts comprising the invention.

Figure 2 is a side elevation thereof.

Figure 3 is a cross sectional view through the eye-piece at a short distance to the right of the thread eye.

Figure l is a transverse sectional view on the plan of one of the attaching cotter pins.

Figure 5 is a cross sectional view of a modified construction of thread eye.

The tubular shank member, which is the member connected with the needle actuating devices in accordance with any known or suitable practice, has inserted in its forward end and tightly secured thereto an attaching member 3 telescoping snugly into the interior of the tube and brazed, soldered or welded there for permanent connection.

At its forward end the connecting member 3 has a tapered projection for the attachmentof the eye-piece or head 2. This eye-piece or head is recessed, as shown at 2", on its under side to form a recess over which the lower bight of the yarn is stretched so asto leave space between the yarn and the needle headfor the passage of the shuttle whichv carries the longitudinal weft threads that interlock with the looped end of the weft thread which is shot through the warp shed by means of the weft needle.

The rear end of the head piece 2is formed with a socket adapted to closely fit over} the forward projection or extension. 3" of theattaching member and the parts that telescope 7 together in this fashion are transversely" bored, preferably at two spaced points to receive cotter pins 4:,Wl1i6l1 when inserted prevent the removal of the head 2 and also prevent its rotation with relation to its carrying shank.

At the forward end of the head is inserted a tubular thread eye 5 which is externally grooved intermediate of its upper and lower ends so that said groove aligns with a cotter pin 6 inserted in a transverse. bore, thus positively locking the'removable thread eye in correct position. This arrangement not only locks the threadeye against accidental removal, but it permits a circumferential creep or slow rotation in order to distribute the wear of the yarn on the entire surface that is engaged by the yarn passing through it.

The head 2 is also provided with a longitudinal thread groove 2 on its upper surface forming a thread receiving and guiding channel which protects the Warp threads as well as the vweft against mutual rubbing as the weft is shot to and fro through the shed formed by the warp threads.

In Figure 5 we have shown a modified confistruction'of thread eye in which the external tubular member 6 is made of metal,

in which isfirmly secured a porcelain tubular eye member 6", the inner and outer tubular members forming a ,slngle unit for service and the outer men ber s provided with the annular locking groove 6? for engagement with the fastening cotter pin 6 Vhatwe claim is: 1. A weft needle embracing 1n 1ts construction, an elongated hollow shank, a separable eye piece having telescopic connection with said shank and provided with a thread eye 1n its forward end and having its'underside'recessed to provide for the passage of -a selvage "thread between the eyepieceand the yarn carried thereby and removable fasteningdevices penetrating both the shank and the eye piece transversely to permit removal of the eye-piece while preventing its rotationin reconnecting dowel tightl 'lation to the shank member. a

2. A weft needle for weaving embracing in its construction an elongated hollow shank '-member, a-separable eye piece member provided at its forward end with a thread eye, a y inserted in the adja "cent ends of the shank and the eye piece members-and removable means transversely penetrating one of said members and the inserted -portion ofthe dowel'to detachably hold the eye piece against longitudinal and rotative displacement.

*3. A weft "needle for weaving embracing in its construction an elongated hollow shank -member; a separable hollow end eye piece "member anda connecting dowel firmly insertagainst ion extendin *sisting materialsecured in member to "protect the latt ed' in the-adjacenthollowends of bothmembers detachable transverse locking means penetrating the dowel and the surrounding "portionof one of said membersto lock them gitudinal'andtransverse displace- 'ment. 1 V

4. *A weft needle for 'weaving embracing in its construction an elongated shank'memiber, an eye piece firmly but' detachably secured to *said shank member and a tubular yarnguide eye located in the forward end of the eye piece and a releasable retaining member for'said guide eyepermitting the substitution of different eyes in the eye piece said retaining member being positively anchored against accidental release '5. Ina weft needle for weaving the combinationwitlr a needle shank and its forwardly g eye member ofa tubular thread eye havinga peripheral groove inserted in said eye member and a locking device pene- 'trating the eye member'transve'rsely'and engaging said groove thereby permitting'the =rotation of said thread eye to distribute wear.

6. A-thread eye for-aweft needle embracing in itsconstruction an ext cum'ferentially grooved tubular eye member and an internal tubularmember of wear-reside said grooved er from cutting by 'the yarn.

In witness whereof, we have subscribed the above specification.

EDGAR F. HATHAWAY.

WALTER BIXB'Y.

ernally and weir-- 

